Tribute to Garry Kasparov

The Russian Chess Grandmaster Garry Kasparov has retired 2005 from professional chess.

He was the highest rated chess player of the world. We wish him the best for the future.

Tribute to GM Garry Kasparov

In 1985 Kasparov became World Chess Champion and held the world title until 1993. After a dispute with the FIDE he set up his own organization, the Professional-Chess-Association. He lost the title 2000 to Vladimir Kramnik. Many believe that Kasparov was the best chess player in history, I do that. He is being rated as world number one player from 1986 until his retirement in 2005 and is holding the all time highest rating of 2851 Elo. The chess world has lost something by Garry's retirement.

Garry's statement of retirement (2005)

What can you learn from GM Garry Kasparov?

When you look at the openings of Garry as White, you will find that he always plays as first move 1.e4 or 1.d4 (followed by c4) and seldom 1.c4. Those are the base moves of good opening systems. Look at the openings he plays. He will not use inferior opening systems.

The reason for this is not to give away the slight opening advantage he has as White. This would happen if he would play openings like Colle, Colle-Zuckertort, Larsen(1.b3), the White Dutch, Kings Indian Attack, Birds opening, King's Gambit, Orang-Utan(1.b4) or other inferior setups. In those setups Black can equalize quickly.

When you have White and you have decided to be a d4-player, begin with 1.d4 followed by 2.c4 like Kasparov does it, as this move controls important center squares. Learn the resulting black opening systems that can follow. You have to study the Queens Gambit Declined, Queens Gambit Accepted, the Slav defense, the Nimzo-Indian, Queens Indian, the Kings Indian, the Grünfeld Defense, the Dutch and others to be able to answer correctly with White.

Yes, this is a lot of work, but if you rather escape this workload and specialize on playing something like the Colle-Zuckertort, this will not be the answer to your opening problem, as your chess knowledge will remain very limited. If you play always the same openings, other players will find it easy to prepare special variations against you. After some time they know what you are playing, or they search for your name in the database and then you are in real trouble when you are able to play with the white pieces just the Colle-Zukertort, for example.
You poor devil will find it hard to win a game as everybody will be prepared and will choose the best possible setup against you...

Have you ever seen Garry Kasparov playing the Colle-Zuckertort, Colle, the Scandinavian defense or some other dubious opening systems? I haven't!

Garry Kasparovs Chess Games

Tribute to GM Garry Kasparov

In 1985 Kasparov became World Chess Champion and held the world title until 1993. After a dispute with the FIDE he set up his own organization, the Professional-Chess-Association. He lost the title 2000 to Vladimir Kramnik. Many believe that Kasparov was the best chess player in history, I do that. He is being rated as world number one player from 1986 until his retirement in 2005 and is holding the all time highest rating of 2851 Elo. The chess world has lost something by Garry's retirement.

Garry's statement of retirement (2005)

What can you learn from GM Garry Kasparov?

When you look at the openings of Garry as White, you will find that he always plays as first move 1.e4 or 1.d4 (followed by c4) and seldom 1.c4. Those are the base moves of good opening systems. Look at the openings he plays. He will not use inferior opening systems.

The reason for this is not to give away the slight opening advantage he has as White. This would happen if he would play openings like Colle, Colle-Zuckertort, Larsen(1.b3), the White Dutch, Kings Indian Attack, Birds opening, King's Gambit, Orang-Utan(1.b4) or other inferior setups. In those setups Black can equalize quickly.

When you have White and you have decided to be a d4-player, begin with 1.d4 followed by 2.c4 like Kasparov does it, as this move controls important center squares. Learn the resulting black opening systems that can follow. You have to study the Queens Gambit Declined, Queens Gambit Accepted, the Slav defense, the Nimzo-Indian, Queens Indian, the Kings Indian, the Grünfeld Defense, the Dutch and others to be able to answer correctly with White.

Yes, this is a lot of work, but if you rather escape this workload and specialize on playing something like the Colle-Zuckertort, this will not be the answer to your opening problem, as your chess knowledge will remain very limited. If you play always the same openings, other players will find it easy to prepare special variations against you. After some time they know what you are playing, or they search for your name in the database and then you are in real trouble when you are able to play with the white pieces just the Colle-Zukertort, for example.
You poor devil will find it hard to win a game as everybody will be prepared and will choose the best possible setup against you...

Have you ever seen Garry Kasparov playing the Colle-Zuckertort, Colle, the Scandinavian defense or some other dubious opening systems? I haven't!